[noopster]

Great pics of a beautiful car! I had taken my Accent to Pondicherry back in 2004. We were 5 of us squashed in including a heavily pregnant woman and a 2 year old along (my best friend's wife and little girl respectively), so was expecting the worst but they could NOT have been better travellers. Seeing your pictures brought a lump to my throat since that was probably the last time they were happy together.

Sorry to go off tangent. Yes- the reflection of the vents in the windshield used to annoy me too no end: it improved a fair bit after I put the front film on, or maybe am just used to it now!

Have your tyres started annoying you yet? Subodh and I were exchanging notes when we met last and our biggest grouse was the increasingly noisy OE Aceleres!

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by souravc

Awesome pictures Nilesh , I just drool at your teutonic . You got the angles just right . I spent around a year in Chennai in 2001 and did about 10 trip on my M 800 on ECR , its such a gorgeous road . I hope its as awesome now as it was before . Cruising along in the Vento should have been great. How did the AC stack up in the summer heat ? Pondi should have been hot.

Thanks, Saurav. yes, the road is still awesome! Though, somehow, the oncoming vehicles from Chennai ticked me off all the time. They drive in the middle of the road, even when not overtaking and I needed to honk and flash all the time to force them to move to the other side!

The AC performed very well indeed. These days, my standard position is 1 bar on the fan speed at 23*C with internal circulation. Works well for me in Bangalore. And it maintained the temp pretty well in the scorching Pondy heat as well. I only switched to auto when I stepped into the car. After sometime, i switch to the standard position.

I sorted it out by wearing anti glare glasses

I have a pair of Polaroids but I am not used to wearing sunglasses in the car. Might as well test them out.

Originally Posted by bala80

I was more interested to know if it is the choice of color in the vento, since I havent seen any polo owners complain about it so far which has a black/beige combo.

Oh, is the dashboard colour different in the Polo? Never realised that.

Originally Posted by noopster

Sorry to go off tangent.

Sad to hear that! But then we unconsciously associate places with memories and end up pulling them out at the first mention. No worries.

Have your tyres started annoying you yet? Subodh and I were exchanging notes when we met last and our biggest grouse was the increasingly noisy OE Aceleres!

Absolutely. They are annoying as hell, especially on concrete roads. I found this out during my Mumbai trip. In fact, I even stopped once to see if there is anything wrong down below, scared by the noise. This was at the MH-KA border where a stretch of NH4 is concrete. I was planning to change the tires as soon as I get the car. But did not take it seriously and postponed the decision. I regret that decision now. So will have to live with it for some time as I won't get a good deal on the exchange.

[bala80]

Though ECR is pretty scenic, it is also the most accident prone of all the arterial highways of chennai, Thanks to the behaviour you have described below. Driving in ECR is not the same as it used to be few years back.

Originally Posted by nileshch

Thanks, Saurav. yes, the road is still awesome! Though, somehow, the oncoming vehicles from Chennai ticked me off all the time. They drive in the middle of the road, even when not overtaking and I needed to honk and flash all the time to force them to move to the other side!

Yes, Polo has jet black and beige combination for the interiors. I personally prefer it compared to the greyish beige of the vento.

Originally Posted by nileshch

Oh, is the dashboard colour different in the Polo? Never realised that.

Acelers are very noisy - no two ways about it. It gets magnified to unbearable proportions when the underlying surface is concrete. This is true even in moderate city speeds.

Originally Posted by nileshch

Absolutely. They are annoying as hell, especially on concrete roads.

[souravc]

Originally Posted by noopster

Have your tyres started annoying you yet? Subodh and I were exchanging notes when we met last and our biggest grouse was the increasingly noisy OE Aceleres!

Noops , thats why I plan to replace those at 15K service - still trying to decide between Michelin and Yokos . As it is a couple of months down the line, I will ask around a bit more - just chewing on thoughts of a wider profile tyre ( and certainly not a thinner profile). The Apollo's are good tyres with good grip but the noise is irritating to say the least . Further given the shabby condition of the roads in Mumbai I have decided to voluntarily reduce the no of KMs I would do in a set of tyres , I am pretty worried about tyre wear and safety . Sometimes I go for a spin on the expressway upto Lonavla and i would be worried to drive on the E-way on weakened tyres - the jagged broken roads of Mumbai are surely having an adverse impact on the tyres. Thus I have the added motivation.

Originally Posted by nileshch

I have a pair of Polaroids but I am not used to wearing sunglasses in the car. Might as well test them out.

I also use a pair of Polaroids - once you try them out you would get hooked to it for daytime driving

[arvi86]

Originally Posted by nileshch

Absolutely not. We are maniacs anyway to be discussing these things on a forum! Be my guest. Just to let you know a secret - I have more photos of the car on my mobile than those of my wife!

My dear Nilesh, don't let the cat out of the bag in excitement. If not now, it may well become a problem for you in future . Your blue teutonic beauty can become your wife's envy if your mistress get to know this.

[nileshch]

I hadn't stickered my car till date. I didn't want to spoil the pearly blue effect on any of the body surfaces. So after long thought, put the transparent sticker on the rear windshield where it does not block the already limited rear view. In the process, wasted a couple of the transparent stickers as they did not stick properly.

Good, now people won't think I am crazy if I honk and flash on seeing another TBHPian.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by nileshch

I hadn't stickered my car till date. I didn't want to spoil the pearly blue effect on any of the body surfaces. So after long thought, put the transparent sticker on the rear windshield where it does not block the already limited rear view. In the process, wasted a couple of the transparent stickers as they did not stick properly.

Good, now people won't think I am crazy if I honk and flash on seeing another TBHPian.

Attachment 597231

Lol. My exact same problem, ever since I ordered the bunch of stickers from TBHP, I have been wondering exactly where I would be putting up the sticker - almost none of them are blue-friendly! Had decided on the same (second option was to put it on the name-plate).

Btw another query that has been going on my mind seems to have been resolved by you - which shade of film have you put up. It's quite evident that a too dark (black) shade will not match the blue color, but your shades seems to fit in nicely!

Gorgeous pics! So far, @mikon and you are bringing out the beauty of the Vento into the pictures! I might have to steal yours later displaying it as my car's!

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Lol. My exact same problem, ever since I ordered the bunch of stickers from TBHP, I have been wondering exactly where I would be putting up the sticker - almost none of them are blue-friendly! Had decided on the same (second option was to put it on the name-plate).

I started with the second option and then removed the small sticker from the number plate. Again, I wanted the number plate to be pristine.

Btw another query that has been going on my mind seems to have been resolved by you - which shade of film have you put up. It's quite evident that a too dark (black) shade will not match the blue color, but your shades seems to fit in nicely!

I was originally planning 3M RE50 on the sides and back. But the thought of spending 7k on the film stopped me. I plonked more money into the insurance and decided to go with cheaper film for the time being.

So I went for Garware SP30 (or something similar) with 30% visibility. Got this done from EVO (Satya) in Bangalore. Cost me 2k for the complete film. I was in a hurry for the Mumbai trip and did not research much on the 3M equivalents. Went with what Satya recommended. It comes with a 2 year warranty. Will look for a high quality replacement when and if this film starts breaking up.

I did not opt for windshield film. Did not see a problem here. But Anoop suggested, the film might help reduce the dashboard reflection in the windshield. Sometimes the reflection does get bothersome, but can live with that for some time.

Gorgeous pics! So far, @mikon and you are bringing out the beauty of the Vento into the pictures! I might have to steal yours later displaying it as my car's!

Thanks! Sure. Let me know if you want a few more. I can send you some unpublished photos if you are short of them

[prabhuferrari]

Nilesh,

I have been in the market of a C segment sedan for 3+ months now. Been swaying from Optra Magnum to NFF, Verna, Honda City AT and what not. Ofcourse Vento has been in the wishlist, but the waiting period was a put off. But then wanted to check few things with an owner from Bangalore. Hope you can help. Apologies if you have addressed this already. Some questions might be outright silly. Please feel free to ignore.

1. How is the ground clearance, especially over Bangalore speedbreakers?
2. How is the performance in bumper to bumper traffic?
3. If I change the HU to CASKA will it void the warranty?
4. How is the performance over bad roads, potholes in high speed and low speed?
5. In case you went to Garuda Mall or JC Road multistory parking how did you find the ramp?
6. Is it necessary to go for a seat cover?
7. What all features can I expect to miss from what GTO test drove and what you got?
8. Is the service interval once a year or 15000 kms?
9. Is there any on road assistance?

Looking forward to your replies. I stay in North Bangalore and commute in the signal free corridor all the way till Raj Bhavan and then crawl till Manipal Centre in Dickenson road. Once in 2 month a long drive is what I do regularly. Palace Cross is on the way for me.

[Auto_Song]

Many Congratz you Nilesh for your Blue Beauty & Let me tell you this almost all your Photos has come Just SUPERB...!! The one near the Tree with Ghats as Back ground is just amazing...
Bydway , Would like to know more about Garware SP30 & its performance/your experiences so far...
1) Under Heavy SUN (I mean heat reduction) - With Current Blore weather , we cant comment more but have you gone to places like Hydbd or chennai where we have extreme hot conditions..???
2) Driving on highways during night. (I mean Glare reduction)

Pls provide your inputs. (Planning to go for Garware)

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

But then wanted to check few things with an owner from Bangalore. Hope you can help. Apologies if you have addressed this already. Some questions might be outright silly. Please feel free to ignore.

Hey, no problem, Prabhu. I have been in your place once so no question is silly ever. I'll try my best to answer!

1. How is the ground clearance, especially over Bangalore speedbreakers?

In the 4700+ kms I have driven in Karnataka, Maharashtra & Tamilnadu, not seen a speed breaker big enough to scrap the bottom of the Vento. In fact, even the OEM mud flaps have rarely scrapped in potholes or speed breakers, unlike what others have reported. And to think, I have really taken any special care when crossing bumps. I can safely say that Vento's ground clearance, though looks less on paper, is pretty much among the best.

2. How is the performance in bumper to bumper traffic?

The FE is just like any other car in B2B traffic. Bad. I have gone to as low as 8kmpl in the peak hours of commute. But this is one of my worst figures and has been rare. In a mix of B2B and ring road trips, I extract a mileage of about 12kmpl. This is a little lower than what other Vento owners are seeing (around 14kmpl). I still have the habit of riding the clutch (from my previous car) and I am trying to break it slowly. The Vento TDI is the happiest on the highways, though. Consistently gives me an FE of around 20, touching 22kmpl at times!

As for the clutch, it has a long play and is a little hard. There have been a couple of instances when I had pressed it 3/4th way through and it has slipped a little from under my shoes because it tends to bounce back. So I had to let go and press it again properly. Sometimes it gets a little irritating in bumper-to-bumper traffic. My old Zen's clutch was so light that I never knew this would be an issue.

On the other hand, the brake and accelerator are just perfect. They are not over-sensitive, like I have felt in other C segment cars. So they are not a botheration in a city commute.

If you travel a lot in the city, I would recommend the Petrol AT for you. Should be a dream to ride in the city. Checkout Noopster's detailed thread on the AT.

3. If I change the HU to CASKA will it void the warranty?

Till the time you don't cut any wires, the warranty should be intact. I haven't changed my HU yet. But from what I hear from people who have changed, the connections are modular and you can easily replace the music system without snipping any wire.

4. How is the performance over bad roads, potholes in high speed and low speed?

Vento handles bad roads with aplomb. It stays solid and stable at high speeds. At low speeds, the tyre pressure dictates the comfort levels. The factory setting for the tyres is too high (F-36psi, R-41psi) and you will have a bumpy ride from the showroom to home on delivery day. I keep the pressure at 33psi within the city and 36psi for highway trips. Allows me to balance FE and comfort levels. With lower pressures, the ride becomes silky smooth in the city, even on bad roads. If your commute is largely through bad roads, you can even try reducing to 30/32psi. That would be most comfortable.

5. In case you went to Garuda Mall or JC Road multistory parking how did you find the ramp?

I have not been to either of them. But have been to multilevel parkings at Bagmane Tech Park and the steep ramp at Forum Value mall in Whitefield. And a few other malls. No issues at all. No scraping whatsoever.

6. Is it necessary to go for a seat cover?

Yes, the beige fabric gets dirty pretty quickly. I am going for a seat cover soon. Unless you prefer the fabric, I would recommend you put a seat cover.

7. What all features can I expect to miss from what GTO test drove and what you got?

Hmm, that would be the leather wrapping and chrome insert on the steering wheel and a chrome highlight on the main light switch. Nothing else. All the other issues you must have heard (auto-speedlock mainly) are related to software updates which can be fixed from the service station. I have to get mine done as well.

8. Is the service interval once a year or 15000 kms?

It is 15000 kms or 1 year, whichever is earlier.

9. Is there any on road assistance?

Yes, VW has road assistance throughout India. They have a toll-free number to call if assistance is needed. Though, I have also taken road assistance from the insurance company, as a backup!

Looking forward to your replies. I stay in North Bangalore and commute in the signal free corridor all the way till Raj Bhavan and then crawl till Manipal Centre in Dickenson road. Once in 2 month a long drive is what I do regularly. Palace Cross is on the way for me.

I liked VW Palace Cross more than VW Downtown in terms of professionalism. So went with them finally!

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by Auto_Song

Many Congratz you Nilesh for your Blue Beauty & Let me tell you this almost all your Photos has come Just SUPERB...!! The one near the Tree with Ghats as Back ground is just amazing...
Bydway , Would like to know more about Garware SP30 & its performance/your experiences so far...
1) Under Heavy SUN (I mean heat reduction) - With Current Blore weather , we cant comment more but have you gone to places like Hydbd or chennai where we have extreme hot conditions..???
2) Driving on highways during night. (I mean Glare reduction)

Pls provide your inputs. (Planning to go for Garware)

Thanks, Auto_Song. Just saw your message. Missed it somehow!

I have no complaints absolutely. I have been to Mumbai and Pondicherry, both hot and humid places and the film did well to keep out the sun! Pondicherry was hotter and could notice the effectiveness there more. The film is rated at blocking 70% visible & UV light so it is quite effective.

However, I have not installed the windshield film. So can't say about the glare reduction at night!

[Auto_Song]

Originally Posted by nileshch

Thanks, Auto_Song. Just saw your message. Missed it somehow!

I have no complaints absolutely. I have been to Mumbai and Pondicherry, both hot and humid places and the film did well to keep out the sun! Pondicherry was hotter and could notice the effectiveness there more. The film is rated at blocking 70% visible & UV light so it is quite effective.

However, I have not installed the windshield film. So can't say about the glare reduction at night!

Thanks..Mate , One more Quik one (4got to ask last time) - Which is your camera???
Also , IMHO its the front wind shield which is the biggest of the lot , so you may pls consider shielding this as well & then you would see further more reduction in heat. (I agree you are totally happy with the current setup).

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by Auto_Song

Thanks..Mate , One more Quik one (4got to ask last time) - Which is your camera???
Also , IMHO its the front wind shield which is the biggest of the lot , so you may pls consider shielding this as well & then you would see further more reduction in heat. (I agree you are totally happy with the current setup).

Many of the photos are from the iPhone! The others are from my Canon 20D DSLR with a bunch of lenses.

Yes, I do plan to put up the windshield film. It's just that after the delivery, I did not immediately want to spend 10 grand on films. Postponed it to a later date. And when I decide to replace the film, I'll go for the best ones!

[prabhuferrari]

Thanks a lot for your inputs Nilesh. I spoke to the Volkswagen Palace Cross guys yesterday for the car. Unfortunately their test drive vehicle is not available. Anyway, coming back to Vento I am impressed with the diesel. Been having a petrol car for quite sometime now, and want to try a Non Japanese/ Non petrol car. Hence no Petrol AT. I do follow Noopsters thread regularly and have test driven the Vento AT couple of times. Its a nice car no doubt.

Palace cross guys are willing to take the HU for 5K. I am thinking of whether to go for a JVC AVX846, Garware sunfilm and reverse camera to start with. And maybe an year later go for Mapmyindia add on for the JVC. My Android phone has a 4 inch screen and I might go for the Sygic on it. Its only 2K and GPS is not on top of my priority whereas bluetooth, reverse camera is. CASKA is good, but somehow I find the UI of JVC more appealing